Porsche is testing blockchain enabled cars

Porsche has announced that it has developed an application to allow a parcel delivery agent to open the car. Only kidding. No, they’re serious. I have first-hand experience of some bad guys trying to get me to open a Porsche.

The driver of the Porsche popped into a store, and I stayed sitting in the passenger seat, when someone knocked on the window asking for driving directions. Except he had an accomplice on the other side of the car that I wasn’t meant to notice. Fortunately I neither opened the window nor touched the central locking.

In fairness, with a lot of care the parcel drop off could be feasible. Oliver Döring, Financial Strategist at Porsche said: “We can use blockchain to transfer data more quickly and securely, giving our customers more peace of mind in the future, whether they are charging, parking or need to give a third party, such as a parcel delivery agent, temporary access to the vehicle.”

So the primary applications tested are locking and unlocking the car using an app, temporary access authorizations and new business models based on encrypted data logging, which includes the charging and parking which are currently being worked on.

Last year Porsche ran a blockchain innovation contest for startups, won by Xain. The winners have developed an Ethereum-based blockchain. It’s not a simple clone. They’ve made some significant adaptations, including making it energy efficient.

The more technically inclined will be aware that the power guzzling comes from the consensus mechanism, so this has been changed, but more subtly than the usual consensus adaptations. Other technical tweaks have been made. Xain is targeted at the auto industry and is not intended for a public blockchain. In addition to Porsche, the company’s partners include DHL, Daimler and Porsche parent, Volkswagen.